Don't look now, but the College Football Playoff is just over four months away. That means you've only got 13 weeks of the regular season, some conference championships and a slew of bowl games before the four-team playoff caps the year and we're back in the cold, dark offseason.

In a perfect world, you'd get to enjoy each and every bit of college football's pageantry and passion, but let's say you're in just a slightly less perfect world and can only get to a game a week. What's the best route to take to enjoy the season?

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Pack up your imaginary RV, fire up the grill and follow along for the ultimate college football road trip. These aren't necessarily the biggest games of each week -- though many will have an impact on conference races and playoff positioning -- but they're some of the best stadiums to see and top traditions to experience.

Is it a national championship preview in Week 1? Coming off of a runner-up finish, the No. 1 Crimson Tide will face the No. 3 Seminoles in the first marquee game of the year and the first major football game hosted by Atlanta's new state-of-art stadium. If you need more of a football fix -- it's been months, after all -- Tennessee and Georgia Tech will clash on the same field Monday night. Don't care about the games? Just marvel at the stadium's halo-shaped "largest video board in the world."

AP/David Goldman

The Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the new home of the Atlanta Falcons football team and the Atlanta United soccer team, nears completion in preparation for its opening in Atlanta.

This historic rivalry doesn't have the panache it once carried. It's been decades since it carried national championship implications, and the teams took a long hiatus before finally meeting in a wild Pitt win last year. Pitt has been mediocre for years, and Penn State's reputation has been dragged through the mud, but there likely won't be a more fiercely contested game in Week 2. A rowdy crowd of 100,000-plus Pennsylvanians will be backed by a student section that might be the nation's best. Local culinary tip: Order some Grilled Stickies at Ye Olde College Diner. You can get them with or without a scoop of ice cream, but either way you're going to want more.

It's time to go South -- and don't forget your ear plugs. Mississippi State often has an uphill battle in what might be the toughest division in the sport -- the SEC West -- but the fans don't make it easy on visitors. This crowd has a fever for more cowbell. Home fans proudly shake the once-banned noisemakers, to the chagrin of opponents, in one of the college game's more unique (annoying?) traditions. Tailgating tip: Don't be afraid to visit the LSU fans in the parking lots. They're sure to have some world-class gumbo and Cajun classics if you're friendly enough.

It's always a fine time to be in the Bay Area, especially at the start of fall. It's even better now that Stanford is a regular in the top 25. One thing that's always been popular is the eclectic Stanford Band. While its mostly known for playing an inglorious role of one of the most incredible plays in the sport's history, the provocative band often creates controversy simply from its performances -- playing the Farmersonly.com jingle in the 2016 Rose Bowl against Iowa nearly got it suspended. Acts like that certainly back its self-proclaimed status as "The World's Largest Rock and Roll Band."

There's a good chance this will be a top 25 matchup in a stadium experience that might be second to none. From the team introduction as the Volunteers run through the "Power T" to the classic checkered end zones, it just feels like college football. The best part, though? It's when the crowd of 100,000 fans belts out "Rocky Top," the school's unofficial fight song. On a good day for the Vols, it's sure to be stuck in your head.

Walk into this venue and you'll be seeing red. Sure, Wisconsin's primary colors match the host team in this matchup, but no matter the game, it's always an inspiring "Sea of Red" at Memorial Stadium. More than that, it's a pleasure to see the Cornhuskers play simply because the fans are so welcoming. Their reputation as the nicest fans in the game is well-earned. Win or lose, they treat you the same and even police the rowdier elements of their own fanbase.

Week 7, Oct. 14 – Oklahoma vs. Texas (Cotton Bowl, Dallas)

We go from one of the friendliest places in the country to a game where the fans straight-up hate each other -- and it's a blast. The Red River Rivalry (or the Red River Showdown) is not only pleasantly alliterative but an annual highlight of the schedule thanks to the proximity of these archenemies. Played at Dallas' old-school Cotton Bowl -- roughly the halfway point between the universities -- the game is also played during the Texas State Fair, meaning there's food, music, rides and carnival games for victorious fans to enjoy and for losing fans to use as a distraction. If you're an agnostic just taking a college football road trip? It's the perfect pit stop at the halfway point.

There may not be a more beautiful, tradition-packed campus in the country. Immaculately landscaped, dotted by a pair of lakes and featuring classic architecture, Notre Dame is the perfect setting for a crisp fall afternoon of football. On the way to the history-laden stadium, be sure to stop at such landmarks as the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes and the stunning Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Sure, it's fashionable to hate on Notre Dame -- and the fans can be a little smug, sometimes justifiably so -- but South Bend is a bucket-list stop for anyone who appreciates the history of the game.

Tailgaters, this is your Mecca. Held annually in the neutral site of Jacksonville, this game is known as "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" -- except it's not, not officially. Jacksonville dropped the name in 1988 after a series alcohol-fueled incidents influenced a re-branding, but that hasn't stopped fans from using the name. And it definitely hasn't stemmed the crowd of roughly 150,000 revelers filling the parking lots before the longtime SEC rivals clash. "River City Showdown," this is not.

"Roll tide!" Get used to hearing it once you hit Tuscaloosa. Alabama's battle cry gets a lot of usage as the best of the team of the past decade just keeps winning. Despite last year's national championship loss, the Tide remain the team to beat in the college game. Alabama will face one of its biggest tests of the year in this rivalry matchup with LSU. By this time of the year, the playoff picture will be taking shape and the stakes will rise exponentially each week. If your hearts are racing, maybe try to take a picture with Big Al -- the elephantine mascot who can melt anyone's heart, short of an Auburn fan.

Tailgating is fun and sightseeing is a blast, but get to your seats early when you're in Clemson: You don't want to miss the best entrance in college football. The defending national champs actually leave the stadium to enter it again, exiting their locker room on the west side of the building before taking two buses to the east side, where they re-enter, touch Howard's Rock -- a stone from Death Valley, California -- and run down a ramp to the field to the sound of touchdown cannons. It'll provide a thrilling prologue to this late-season battle which could have a major impact on the ACC championship and playoff race.

L.A. has two NFL franchises now, but these are still the most popular football teams in town. USC could have their best squad since Reggie Bush was in the backfield and has eyes on the postseason, while UCLA is hoping to be in the throes of a bounce-back season after last year's 4-8 finish. No matter the on-field circumstances when this La La Land rivalry kicks off, it's hard to beat Southern California (the region and the team) in late November. You've got beaches, Hollywood and one of the country's legendary sports venues in the Coliseum.

It's the end of our regular-season road trip. What began in Atlanta ends in a post-Thanksgiving classic at the largest stadium in the country, The Big House. Ohio State vs. Michigan is the type of rivalry that's so big it can simply go by "The Game." Last year's edition went to overtime -- with Ohio State pulling out a playoff-spot clinching win -- and this season's could be just as close. It should be filled with equal parts hatred and hype, and you won't want to miss it.